Powder-dispensing device



Oa. 13I 1925. 1,557,273

J. sEcRlsT POWDER DIsPENsING DEVICE Filed Jan. 2'. 1924 2 sums-snm a Patented st. 13, i925.

-UNITED STATES JOSEPH SECRIST, 0F WINONA, WEST VIRGINIA.

IOWDER-DISPENSING- DEVICE.

Application led January 2, 1924. Serial' No. 684,035.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, Josnrn Snons'r, citizen of the United States, residing at lVinona, in the county of Fayette and State of `West Virginia, have invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in Powder-Dispensing Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

rihis invention relates to powder dispensing devices, and has particular reference to improved means for facilitating the dispensing of the contents of the powder lregs for filling receptacles commonly termed miners powder jacks.

In the mining industry, the miners are provided with receptacles commonly known as jacks and which are adapted to be filled with powder for the individual use of each of the miners. The aowder is usually marketed in relatively arge and heavy lregs that must be tilted in order to dispense the powder therefrom for filling these mineris receptacles. This involves arduous labor and when no special tilting and supporting means is provided for the powder lregs and the receptacles, much loss of powder is experienced and considerable time is required to fill the receptacles.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a means whereby the powder kegs may be readily inverted for discharging the powder therefrom, and whereby the flow of the powder from the lieg may be governed or cut off as each receptacle is filled, provision also being made for permitting replacement of a filled receptacle by an empty one with facility and ease while effectively supporting the receptacle while being illed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a powder dispensing device embodying the above characteristics and at the same time embracing the desired qualit-ies of simplicity and durability of construction, as well as eticiency in operation.

A specific object is to provide improved means for tiltably supporting powder lregs and for maintaining the same in upright or inverted position at will.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form o-f removable discharge spout for the powder keg to regulate or cut olf the iiow of powder therefrom when inverted or in the act of filling the receptacle.

@ther objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinaiter more vfully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views :y

Figure l is a side elevational view, of a powder dispensing device constructed in accorda-nce with the present invention, and showing the device operatively positioned for supporting the powder key inverted.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, substantially upon the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the powder keg receptacle with the powder keg disposed therein.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the discharge spout in longitudinal central section and applied to the keg. l

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 taken on a plane of section at right angles to the plane of section of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line 6 6 of Figure 4, and

Figure 7 'is an enlarged perspective view of the depressible receptacle supporting platform. i

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of thel pintles which hold the discharge spout in position.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the present invention embodies a suitable receptacle 5 of a form to removably receive the usual powder keg 6 and having an open top, the major portion of which is closed by means of a removable closure disc or head 7 that is of slightly greater than semicircular form, as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

This closure disc or head 7 is provided with opposed sliding bolts 8 that are normally projected lby means of springs 9 to enter opposed openings as at 10 adjacent the upper edge of the wall of the container 5 whereby the head 7 is maintained in proper position for retaining the keg within said container 5. The head 7 may be attached to the container 5 at a point intermediate the bolts 8 by means of a hinge 1l if found desirable, so that the head may be swung open or closed, and will at all times be properly related to the container 5. The spring pressed bolts 8 are provided with lateral handles 12 for facilitating release of the same.

The powder keg "r6 is usually provided with van opening in the top thereof asat 13, which opening is located near one side of the keg so that the same is` adapted to be positioned co-incident with the uncovered portion of the top of the container 5 for permitting the contents of the keg 6 to be dispensed when the head or cover disc 7 of the container' 5 is closed for maintaining the keg within said container 5. In accordance with the present invention, a special form of discharge sp'out 14 is secured in the openings 13 of the keg 6, which spout is best @shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6. As shown in these views, the inner end of the spout or nozzle 14 is reduced so as to fit within the opening 13 of the keg, and the outer end of the spout is externally tapered as at 15 to enter into the illing opening of the receptacle to be lilled with facility, as well as to snugly fit the latter. The inner end portion of the spout 14 is provided upon its opposite sides with longitudinal grooves, in which are rotatably d-isposed longitudinal pintles 15 that are retained in place by means of cross pins 16a or the like, the inner ends of said pintles 15 being provided with laterally directed members 16, and the outer ends of said pintles 15 being provided with lateral handles 17. The handles 17 are disposed in angular relation to the inner end members 16 of the pintlesV 15 so that when the handles 17 are swung away from the spout, the end members 16 are disposed to project inwardly of the spout whereby the inner end of the latter may be placed in the openings 13. On theY other hand, when the handles 17, which are curved to fit the periphery of the spout 14 are swung toward said spout as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the lateral inner lend portions or members 16 'are vdisposed to project outwardly beyond the sides of the lspout for engaging opposite portions of the inner surface of the keg '6, so vas to retain the spout 14 effectively within the opening 13. The spout 14 is provided with a transverse slot intermediate its ends, in which is slidably mounted a gate valve 18, whose outer end is loosely connected to the intermediate portion of the lever 19 the inner end of which is pivoted as at 20 to a lug 21 carried by the spout 14.

Rigid with opposite sides of the ykeg container 5 are transversely aligned pins or sockets 22, that are journalled in the upper ends of a pair of uprights 23 rigidly carried at the sides of a supporting base 24. One of the uprights 23 carries a sliding bolt 25 that isy normally projected inwardly by means of a spring 26 to engage in the opening 27 of the container 5 that is aligned therewith, one opening 27 being provided in the side of the container 5 at each end thereof so that the bolt 25 may be selectively engaged in the saine for either retaining the container 5 and the keg carried thereby in an uprig-ht position or in an inverted position as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Vertical grooves 28 are provided in the inner surfaces of the uprights 23 at the lower ends thereof, and slidably engaged in these grooves are rigid guide lugs 29 provided upon the ends of a horizontal platform 30. Disposed between the platform 30 and the base 24 are springs 31 for normally holding the platform 30 elevated while yieldably permitting depression thereof, the platform 30 being disposed as shown in Fig. 1 beneath the discharge spout 14 when the keg is inverted.

The' space between the platform 30 and the base 24 may be closed at the sides and rear of the device, by means of side walls 32 and a rear wall 33 leaving the top and front of the space open.

ln operation, the container 5 is rotated to an upright position and the bolt 25 engaged in the lower opening 27 of the container 5 for holding the latter' steady. The bolts 8 are retracted and the cover head or disc 7 swung open whereupon the keg is placed within the container 5, and the head 7 then locked in closed position to retain the keg within the container 5 when the latter is inserted. rilhe usual closure is removed from the opening 13 of the keg and the spout 14 connected in place as shown clearly in Figures 4 and 5 after which the bolt 25 may be released after permitting the receptacle 5 and the keg disposed therein to be readily inverted to the position shown in `Figures 1 and 2, in which positions the bolt 25 engages the upper opening 27 of the container 5. rThe platform 30 is then depressed, and the receptacle to be lilled placed thereon after which said platform 30 is released, to allow the springs 31 to raise the same for forcing the neck of the receptacle up onto themtapered lower end 15 of the spout 14 so that said tapered end of the spout will fit snugly within the neck of the receptacle. The lower end of the lever 19 is then pulled outwardly so as to open the gate valve 18 and permit the powder to flow from the keg through the spout 14 into the receptacle. As soon as the receptacle is filled, the lever 19 will be swung to close the gate valve 18 for preventing further discharge of the powder from the keg, and by the depressing of the platform 30, the receptacle may be lowered for removing the neck of the same from the spout 14, whereupon the receptacle may be readily removed from the platform to be replaced by another receptacle to be filled.

It will be noted that the container 5 may be rotated in either direction, and as the trunnions 22 are disposed substantially midway between the top and bottom of the container 5, rotation of the latter may be effected with considerable ease, even though the weight of the powder within the keg 6 carried by said container 5 be quite great.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present in vention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

lhat I claim as new is:

l. In a dispensing device of the class described, a supporting base, a spring raised depressible platform mounted above said base, for movement toward and from the latter, and a pivotally mounted container above said platform for containing a powder keg having a valved discharge nozzle for disposition above said platform, said `platform being adapted to hold a receptacle, placed thereon, against the nozzle.

2. In a dispensing device of the class described, asupporting base, a pair of oppositely disposed uprights connected to and rising from said base, the inner opposed faces of said uprights being formed with guide grooves adjacent the base, vertical guide walls also rising from the base and surrounding the lower portions of the uprights, a platform disposed horizontally between the grooved faces of the uprights, said platform being provided with guide lugs slidably received in said grooves, springs interposed between the under side of the platform and the upper side of said base, 

